“Daim is already 85, and he may not remember events of 25 to 26 years ago. This is unfair and may prejudice him. That is why a speedy investigation is required.”

- Former attorney-general Tommy Thomas currently representing Daim Zainuddin and his family members as their lawyer.

COMMENT | In a recent piece, Mariam Mokhtar wrote - “Others claim Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was exacting revenge on his former political rivals. The rakyat really don’t care, as all they want is justice. Corruption has become a way of life. There is no respect for the rule of law. Values and morals have been abandoned.”

I have no doubt Mariam is correct when it comes to the thinking of a certain segment of the voting polity but if the prosecution of certain high-profile individuals emanating from Madaniville is political revenge, then there is no justice, there certainly is no respect for the rule of law, and the corrosive effects of corruption on values and morals is merely being perpetuated by these investigations.

“Don’t let it be that only those who are viewed as rivals to the unity government in power now be probed while the supporters and members of the administration are not investigated,” said Hassan Abdul Karim, a PKR lawmaker. This sounds more like a fig leaf than any real call for accountability and transparency.

Do not get me wrong. If this is some sort of revenge play, then I admire the fact that Anwar has the cajones to go after mainstream political and financial sacred cows. But my admiration for such an act does not help the rakyat who suffered because of these corrupt personalities and their enablers and it certainly does not rectify the systemic dysfunction...